Wednesday, February 21, 2007

The Three......... Sister

Thursday our new companion, Sister Emily Young arrived in our 5th avenue apartment. Sister Young is from the Salt Lake area. We met with Samson and Zack. We covered lesson three: The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Surprisingly, we taught well together for a trio. We were bold with them, and laid it out as best as we could. However, they may be better taught individually. Perhaps it will help them so that they can better accept commitments, and keep them! Saturday Sister Young’s bed arrived! For the past couple nights, we have been sleep overs in the front room, with one on the couch. Party!!! J/k.

With permission, we have been able to support Shavon Earp, at her Basketball games. She is a classy player, so it’s neat to watch her. No matter what calls are made- her reactions are steady and becoming. She exemplifies many Christ-like attributes, making it even more of a joy to watch the game.Sunday we taught Sean Carvalho before church, and then he stayed for Sacrament meeting. To his surprise he didn’t plan on staying for as long as He did… but the speakers talked about specific topics that we had addressed prior to.Monday we met with Jason Dobbins, a RC/LA. We talked about strong foundations and how to build them. We also shared some parts of a talk given by Bishop Dallas B. Clark last year in Buena Vista, VA. The point was that we often have more gas in our tanks than we may think. It was than compared to how we actually have more testimony of principles than we sometimes realize. [This part of Bishop Clarks’ talk entitled, ‘Testimony’ he had adapted from a C.E.S. fireside.] I found it encouraging not only for Jason but for me too, because it helps us see more of what we are doing right, instead of how far we have left to go.

Tuesday we had another uplifting Zone Conference at the Stake Center in Pembroke. We talked about the tree of life and were we need to be.Nephi 8:11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof ; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

I think of every time we get to share this sweet gospel I’m bringing someone else closer to partaking of that same sweet gospel. What a privilege I have to be out here right now and how much the lord trusts me with his children. It makes me just want to chuck the fruit to everyone coming along so they don’t have to go through the hard times but I know it’s the hard times that makes us stronger.
I love you all Sister Barrand"

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Laura Hull ,Darbey, Me and Sister Campbell"Staying inside the lines and putt'n our manicure skills to the test"
Devin Stanley (our Walmart referal)
Teaching the Wadells Sister Geter's Family and all her Sista's

Happy Valentines!!!!!

Love is in the Air and so is an ice storm. It’s a beautiful valentines day with every glistening tree branch covered in ice. I love you all. Thursday afternoon, we met with Laura, & her roommate, Darbey at the top of Muse hall, a 14-story dorm at Radford University. There we gave them manicures, and shared the wonderful message of the Restoration! A message that never gets old, because you can learn something new every time you share it! It is the best!That evening we ran into an unplanned service opportunity on our way out of our dinner appointment. We nearly passed it up, as we were on the move to get to the church for our regular Muay Thai class. Instead, we parked, and headed for the last of the groceries left in the minivan. It wasn’t much, but inside awaited a huge family! The hardest part was stopping to help. We have found that doing the harder thing is usually the better thing.

A highlight for Friday was meeting up with Jerry & Peggy Waddell, a couple that has been meeting with the missionaries for about two years. We invited them to join our army, the Army of God.;)Saturday was a special day, because we taught Samson and Zack again! It went really well, and of course they are also praying about baptism! Since Friday was Zack’s birthday, we brought along a birthday card that said, “We hope your birthday is the bomb! Emphasizing ‘bomb’- in which we added Book of Mormon Baby! Not only that, but we also included a little stick figure drawing of a kid doing a canon ball into the water! Hopefully, they caught on, & will both be fully submerging into the living waters soon. We have been meeting up at the Radford City Library, which is excellent because it’s somewhat quiet, and there are opportunities for referrals. One man listened to the whole lesson on Saturday, and just happened to be there again when we showed for our next appointment, Monday. Monday fell through with Zack and Samson, and there we were waiting. We ended up visiting with the man, (yes that one, dear Mr. Rowell) from Saturday. It turns out his sister is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and is currently residing in PRO-VO, Utah. He is in the Elders area.

The Sabbath was wonderful. Well as usual in the beginning we pray and stress about our investigators being there. Laura was sick again and went home to Richmond which is not in our mission and wasn’t able to make it to the new singles ward that we wanted her to get acquainted with, but it’s all good. The talks given were on the Sabbath and magnifying your calling. They speakers were inspired and our less active crew was very impressed to push forward. Summer Evans a young adult even showed up for the first time since I have been here. We know that the spirit had directed her to do so but the heart-a-tack that we left on her door for Valentines might of help. But who knows? Sometimes you have to do the harder thing cause it’s the best thing. We are rebels and skipped out on Sunday school. …to help a Sister, she is struggling with her non member husband that doesn’t even want to spend this life with her, a teenager granddaughter, and a daughter that is going through a divorce and dating a non member, that’s not allowing her to keep her commitments to the lord. That night we went over the ward list to make sure we knew of everyone. We had a couple people with only P.O.Box’s, Brother fisher explain how he went up to one of them and no one was home. We all pictured this grown man at the Post office knocking on P.O.Box 92 to see if anyone was home. We gave him a hard time about that one. He thought it was pretty funny as well.

We also stopped and talked to a young lady named Ashley at the Library, because we saw an unplanned service opportunity to help her stuff envelopes. It turns out she was just about finished, and she was sending out a little something for all forty something Churches in the area to put on their bulletins. We invited her to church, and she seemed excited about coming this Sunday."

We have an investigator Sean that received a BOM a while ago from us that we haven’t been able to get a hold of. We sought to find him at Wal-Mart where he works. We pulled up and what do you know there he is pushing the carts. We honked and to say hello. Sean apologized for not getting back to us because he dropped his phone in the toilet but then introduced us to his friend/ co-worker Devin Stanley. We made them sign their lives away with pen in our planner to meet with them. We also invited them to church. Devin said he would come and seem impressed. Sean said he would come next week and then invited us to go to a party with him. Sadly we declined the party. We found out that Devin just took the spot of Emmett (who came home to months shy of completing his mission to live with his girlfriend) What a blessing to have him move in the same apartment with the less active son of the bishop’s and a former investigator (Kevin). We know that we were suppose to meet Devin and he was suppose to take the spot of Emmett. Now Mike can grow stronger and Devin can help him by learning together. Devin was into the restoration and wanted to know more. He was excited to finally have some questions answered that he didn’t even bring up. He told us he felt good about everything and could see radiance about us. He explained how he doesn’t see the same morally as his friends do. We meet with Devin again and Mike had been encouraging him. Devin told us that he feels right about meeting with us and is intrigued about everything new. He kept saying, “A lot of decisions have to be made.” And he is exactly right we just pray that Devin will truly study and desire it out on his own and Mike can be a good example. We also stopped and talked to a young lady named Ashley at the Library, because we saw an unplanned service opportunity to help her stuff envelopes. It turns out she was just about finished, and she was sending out a little something for all forty something Churches in the area to put on their bulletins. We invited her to church, and she seemed excited about coming this Sunday.

There’s not going to be a lot of hot shower but it will all work out. Sad to say but our amazing District leader is leaving. Can’t wait to welcome sister Young into such a wonderful place at such a loving time of year. This Valentines show the pure love of Christ, which is charity. I love you all. Happy Valentines!!!Mom: Thanks so much for the package that was so loveing of you!!!Parents:I bet it feels so empty in that big old house of your now that all the kids are gone. But i know that you will love working in the Temple it will bring happiness into the home with out the smell clothes all over.Other:It was also great to hear from Elder Barrand he is amazing already!!Love Sister Barrand"

Friday, February 09, 2007

Oh boy

I love you all so much and do I have some news for you all. Our investigator Laura hull was set for Feb 10 & 11 to be Baptized and confirmed. We were worried about this date because it was so soon. She hadn’t talked to her mother yet and she had only been to the single’s ward once. We didn’t want her to feel like she had to wait until she could be baptized but we didn’t feel good about the date and neither did President Cowley.

We prayed and fasted that everything would work out. When we went to go finish up the commandments we asked her how she was feeling about the date she said “ oh I guess you haven’t heard but I was praying about the date and I just didn’t feel right about it but I was praying about the weekend of the 24 and it feels right.” Oh boy we were so happy to see the lord working out the rough spots and answering prays. Were so proud of Laura for praying it out, figuring it out on her own and coming to do the lords will. We would have had to tell her that she had to wait until she attended the singles ward more than once, even though she had been attending her home ward for about a year. She is Amazing. She is telling her boyfriend what to do. She has great questions and wears the scripture sock that we made for her. We are looking forward to hearing all about the baptism in two week cause we will not be able to leave our mission to go down to Richmond where she is from. She wanted to have the baptism close to her house so it will be easier for her mom to decide to come. Plus she knows that ward. It’s her day and we are just so happy that she is making the greatest choice ever!!

We are now teaching Samson and his best friend Zack. They were telling us about how we came to their lives at this time for a reason. It was so neat to hear that. We shared the Restoration! It went extremely well. They grasped the material. We really stressed the priesthood and how important it was to restore the full gospel and not try to put pieces here and there, they were devouring it. We invited them to be baptized, they said that they will read and pray. They were soaked everything up.My companion and I are helping out a young lady in our ward with her prom dress… We saw a dress at a little shop on Main. (Where people will bring in their old clothing to be sold, and then once it is sold, they will receive a portion of the sale.) Anyways, we went in there on one afternoon, near the beginning of the transfer. There was this one dress in particular that caught our eye. I would guess it was from the 1950’s. The fabric is a heavier material, and is a crème, with ultra thin, light gold stripes. They give it a slight shimmer, and it is gorgeous! It has a V-neck, with a fitted upper waist, followed with a princess skirt. It is a timeless piece, and we hope that it will fit Jane perfectly!Working on campus with the students has been a blast!

Laura is set for baptism on the 24th! She says she can’t stop smiling. Laura is an incredible friend and missionary to her roommate, Darbey. Darbey asks questions; Laura listens, and then finds her the answer! Darbey now has her own copy of The Book of Mormon! Accentuating the positive, and blessing others by our words of encouragement are key, in helping others come closer to the Savior.We told Laura in one of our lessons about President Hinckley, and his encouragement for us to smile. Elder Tauteoli, another amazing missionary shared the following scripture with us in a joint meeting with Miss Laura, it is in 2 Nephi 9:39. ...Remember to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal. It spells out S-M-I-L-E. See! I know that we can decide be a happy people today!Last night, because of the weather conditions, but Brother Cramer brought dinner over to our apartment instead of us trying to drive over in the ice, it wasn’t delivery it was brother Cramer!I am so grateful for the wonderful work! I am pleased to be a part of it, and I am grateful for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We are so blessed!

It’s the weirdest thing 5 months ago I would not put any spaghetti sauce on my noodles, dip my chips in salsa, drink soy milk, wear a jumper, or have nails longer then a millimeter on all ten fingers, blush and turn my head away from a kissing scene, not like loud rap music, decline dessert, want to study, want to read, want to be on time, and want to go to bed at 9:00. But it has happened…I’m officially weird!
I love you all
Sister Barrand
Laura Hull Exciting Obituaries at the Libaray
This is a highly well known Hookie ( A genderless bird) and you might take a gander at the jummper Sister Barrand is wearing.( who said she would never in her life wear such a thing) missions change ya!
2 new investigators that are pumped to pray about whether they should get baptized by the correct authority!!!! Samson and Zack
see ,hear, speak and smell no evil! I added that last one Me, Stephaine, Becky, and Titus. In this lesson Becky asked " what would it change if i believed in Joseph Smith? " if you could only imagine what we said afterwards.
Intense church taboo for district meeting. thanks to danica
first timer here for giving blood....16 mins to pump a pint, and they consider that slow...going going gone!

Thursday, February 01, 2007

"Oh Deer"Sister Campbell climbing over my seat to get in.What we look like when we open our mailbox
Twinners!
Choose the RightClean Linen is the best car freshner....Ever!
Excited to go eat some Pumpkin chocolate chip muffinsYou have got to be creative on a Mission

Oh Deer

Well well well. I Can’t believe it’s finally here my little bro and I out on Missions together just as we had always dreamed of. I always knew this day would come, where we could share this time together but be so far apart. He is going to love this work and you will be so surprised on how much he will learn and grow. He will be an amazing Elder Barrand.

It’s been crazy here. We went to Shavon’s basketball game. It was weird to here that loud music. She was an amazing basketball player, she was the team. After the game we met this retired religion teacher and one his old students (Brittany). Brittany had the light in her eyes; you could tell that she was doing something right. We have met with her three times since then and are continuing meeting with her. She takes us out to lunch with her. She has a lot of questions and is very open to learn more. She is a student at Radford University.

As we were driving to one of our dinner appointment when a big old buck ran out in front of us and made a big boo boo in the front. It was pretty neat to see how many people were willing to stop to make sure we were ok. The buck was down and couldn’t get back up. We prayed to thank our heavenly father that we were ok and let the buck go back to his family. As soon as we opened our eyes the buck ran off. The cop was about to give it a shot but the buck ran off before he could get to him. We handed out Books of Mormon and shared a message with everyone. At church Brother Hill came up to us and said. “You prayed for the deer? Do you know we eat road kill? Do you know that we would have had a full freezer by now?” He said it sarcastically but he totally meant every word. You know I’ve always wanted an excuse to say “Or Deer” if I ever ran into one, but this phrase did not cross my mind when all this was happening. Oh well better luck next time. The cop said they have deer accident every other day on that road. Sister Campbell has to climb over my seat to get to hers seat in a skirt cause her side door will not open. We called the president to let him know what was going on. He was sure glad that we were ok and he made sure that we did not climb in and out of the window.

We had an ice storm and Church was cancelled. It was frustrating because Shavon was planning on going to church with us for the first time. It was also important to me to take the sacrament. You realize what an incredible remembrance you receive when you partake of the sacrament, when you are not able to. We weren’t aloud to got out and work so we spend the day with the Zisette and worked what we could from their home.

Laura Hull is coming right along we taught her another lesson and set a baptism date for February 10. She is sad that her mom doesn’t want to go but she wants to do it anyways because she knows how important it truly is. We are praying and fasting for comfort in her heart weather her mom and dad come. But everything will work out. The lord only wants the best for her.

Sister Campbell keeps us reminded to accentuate the positive. She’s amazing and would go through anything for anyone. She is a great example to me of faith. I’m learning tons from her on how to become more charitable and personable. We also have fun as we are doing it. For the ward game night we dressed up as twinners. We said that we wanted to be like the elders, so the next day they wore the same ties so they could be like us. You have to find the joy in life in the simple things. For example we don’t have a lot of food but we get creative and try meals out from what we have. Like the fudge that sis Campbell made from hot Chocolate mix. (Mom you got to get this recipe) Or the cobbler for jam, canned peaches, cookie mix and granola bars. Or the other day we made a fabulous appetizer from asparagus and cheese. No recipes included. I’m thinking I’m going to go into cooking. j/k. Life is great here.

We just had President Interviews and I think I will be staying here in Radford for at least another two transfers. It’s all good to me because I love it here and I don’t know any better. Sister Campbell will be leaving me soon to go home in the end March. So we want to make this last little bit for her the best. We are working hard and receiving the blessings. You all are lucky to be able to go to the temple so often. There is a lot of important work to be done. I know you all are amazing examples. Keep up the wonderful work and keep helping the missionaries.

I love you all
Sister Barrand